7 Bizarre Ways People Earn a Living Around the World

Are you in the career you imagined as a child? Maybe you thought you'd be an astronaut, or a ballerina.

If you're like most adults, you're probably doing something far different, but your job likely isn't as bizarre as these unique positions. Here's a look at some of the craziest careers through which people make their money.

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Rodeo Clown

Income: $100 to $500 per gig

Running around in silly clothes teasing an 1,800-pound animal is one of the cool jobs in the rodeo circuit. But the job's not all fun and games. A rodeo clown must distract a bull to prevent injury to the rider, sometimes putting himself at risk. A rodeo clown can perform wherever there are bull-riding events, including Australia and the United States.

Dangers of the job: Going nose to nose with a rodeo bull comes with risks of getting gored, trampled or kicked. Chances are, you'll get injured during your rodeo clown career. The vocation has a 77.4 percent injury rate.

How to land the job: Go to rodeo bullfighting or clown school to learn the skills needed to entertain the audience and divert the bull's attention. Get your first gigs at local youth or amateur rodeos to showcase your work.

Stunt Person

Income: $933 per day

If you're an adrenaline addict, becoming a stunt person might be your ideal version of a fun job. Leaping from burning buildings, crashing cars and flying through the air are all part of the stunt person's work duties.

Dangers of the job: Ignorance is definitely not bliss as a stunt double; not knowing the proper stunt technique is the number one reason for on-the-job injury, according to the Houston Chronicle.

How to land the job: Learn how to safely catch fire, fly on cables and crash cars at the United Stuntmen's Association 150-hour course in the Seattle area. Send out a reel showcasing your stunts along with your resume. Move to Los Angeles, Vancouver or New York to be in the heart of the film industry and make connections with an unpaid apprenticeship.

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Crab Fisherman

Income: $50,000 to $100,000 per season

Shows like "Deadliest Catch" profile the life of crab fishermen as they spend months at a time at sea. This weird job is simple, repetitive and physically draining: Maneuver 600 to 800 pound crab pots across the deck and lower them into the water, marking their location. After the pots are full, pull them up and sort the catch.

Dangers of the job: The pay might be lucrative, but crab fishing is one of the most dangerous occupations and definitely not a fun job. Weeks or months at sea, long work hours and winter weather contribute to the industry's high death rate from drowning and hypothermia. Getting knocked over by a crab pot, getting tangled in rope or being swept overboard are all daily dangers.

How to land the job: Although there are no educational requirements to be a crab fisherman, you'll need to be in top physical condition to be considered for a job in the crabbing industry. Operating dangerous machinery, heavy lifting and long hours are the norm for months on end. The easiest way to enter the industry is as a crab processor or cook.

Livestock Artificial Insemination Technician

Income: $22,730 to $73,130 per year

Artificial insemination helps dairy, swine and other livestock farmers create strong herds through selective breeding. Where one bull might only service 100 cows per year, artificial insemination (AI) can increase that number to more than 60,000.

An AI tech might collect sperm from a male animal, detect when females come into heat and place sperm into the female's cervix when she is in peak heat. Good communication, record-keeping and animal handling skill are required. You can travel the world as an AI tech helping bring the technology to countries around the globe.

Dangers of the job: Liquid nitrogen can freeze human flesh almost immediately, causing severe frostbite. Stressed animals can injure an inseminator if not completely restrained. Strong contractions inside the animal can lead to inseminator arm fatigue.

How to land the job: Although you can learn to inseminate an animal in about three days, employers might require additional qualifications such as a degree in livestock, animal husbandry or other related field. Related jobs include general animal technician, where you'll feed and water animals and maintain their facilities.

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Mortuary Cosmetologist

Income: $25,000 to $50,000 per year

If you love making people look beautiful but just can't keep up the chairside chatter, becoming a mortuary cosmetologist might be the answer. As a funeral home beautician, you'll use special techniques such as airbrushing and contouring to make the deceased look like their loved ones remember them.

Dangers of the job: Like any funeral industry job, there's a risk of illness from exposure to viruses or bacteria.

How to land the job: A cosmetology license is key to getting into the industry. Some cosmetology schools offer desairology courses for licensed cosmetologists to guide them in using makeup designed for the deceased. Employers may require previous work experience in cosmetology besides the educational requirements.

Death Doula

Death can be a traumatic experience — not only for those experiencing it, but for those left behind. A death doula helps the dying and their family through the transition from life to what's next.

But this cool job encompasses far more than just helping people come to terms with death. Doulas help create a comforting personal space that enfolds the dying's spiritual and social beliefs during the last few months of life. They might help with legacy planning, forgiveness rituals, tying up loose ends, at-home funerals and aftercare for grieving loved ones. The industry is growing from Canada to India.

Dangers of the Job: You'll get constantly exposed to fear, anxiety and depression that's common among those dying or about to lose their loved one. Old squabbles and hard feelings can disrupt the peaceful environment you're there to create. While you won't be administering any medical treatment to the dying individual, you'll need to take appropriate precautions to prevent catching any communicable diseases.

How to land the job: Many death doulas have experience in the healthcare field, but it is not necessary. Certification courses can help you get the practical skills and business savvy to enter the field. Although a few hospitals and hospices offer doula care, as an end-of-life doula you'll be in charge of creating your own client base.

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Professional Bridesmaid

Income: $150 to $2,000 per wedding, depending on services provided

Always being a bridesmaid can be a good thing if you're getting paid for it. The honor bestowed on family or friends to be bridesmaids comes with a lot of responsibility, and some people need help to get everything done. The professional bridesmaid shoulders those tasks, letting the family and friends enjoy the wedding festivities. From managing the pre-wedding to-do lists, balancing the budgetand coaching bridesmaids and maids of honor, the pro bridesmaid might tackle any and every part of the wedding process.

Dangers of the job: Bridezilla, MOB-zilla and MOH-zilla, to name a few. Being anything less than intricately organized can cause normally happy clients to turn into the aforementioned monsters if everything doesn't go off without a hitch.

How to land the job: Being a professional bridesmaid is another one of those cool jobs you can't major in when you go to college. Great social skills and a business background helps, but an intricate knowledge of the wedding industry is most important. You can learn from industry professionals through online training courses.

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